Acerbic comedian and fashion critic Joan Rivers has been rushed to a New York hospital in critical condition after she stopped breathing during surgery on her vocal chords, local media report.
New York City Fire Department spokesman Jim Long said a patient reported to be in cardiac arrest had been taken from Yorkville Endoscopy to Mount Sinai Hospital by emergency workers responding to the call at 9.40am (1.40am today, NZT). He declined to name the patient due to privacy concerns, but the NBC television affiliate in New York identified the patient as Rivers, saying she stopped breathing during a procedure on her vocal chords.
Ken Baker, an entertainment journalist at E! News, said on his Twitter account that Rivers, 81, was now in stable condition at Mount Sinai Hospital. The E! cable TV network features Rivers as host of its show Fashion Police.
A representative for E! could not immediately be reached for comment. However, a spokesman for Rivers’ later told
